Faso Advocates for Drinking Water Protections with Circuit Rider Program

Statement

Congressman John Faso (R-Kinderhook) testified this week before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies in support of the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Circuit Rider program, which works through various state rural water associations to provide technical help to local utilities and their customers:

"The Circuit Rider program is critically important to support rural infrastructure because of the on-site services and expertise it offers to small local water utilities. Circuit rider technicians are the first people on the scene to flush water systems in emergency situations. In 2015 circuit riders acted when Hoosick Falls community members raised concerns that their public water was contaminated. To support clean drinking water and more, I encouraged the Subcommittee to increase the Circuit Rider program's budget to meet contractual obligations. If we lose this program, we lose the ability to safeguard the quality of our water. We cannot let that happen."

"Congressman Faso is quickly becoming the leader on rural and small community water issues in the Congress," said Pat Scalera, Chief Executive Officer of the New York Rural Water Association. "We are very appreciative that the Congressman testified before the Appropriations Committee this week to support technical assistance for small communities experiencing problems with their drinking water supplies. He has become one of the leading advocates in Congress supporting our Circuit Rider-type approach which provides expert water utility technicians to all small and rural communities in each state"

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